James May Is Selling His Triumph From The Final Episode Of 'The Grand Tour'

"The Grand Tour" featured many cars along with the antics of Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond, and it ended with the release of its final episode, "One for the Road," in September 2024. This finale marked more than 21 years of the trio working together, since Top Gear's second season aired in 2003. Following in line with Jeremy Clarkson selling off a trio of cars featured on the show, James May is doing the same by selling the 1974 Triumph Stag MKII 3.0 V8 that he drove during that final episode, a true piece of automotive TV history.

In the show's final episode, the presenters drove across Zimbabwe and Botswana in three cars they'd always wanted to own. May picked a 1974 Triumph Stag MKII 3.0 V8. The car had been previously restored when May picked up the keys to it and was then slightly modified for its starring role in the African special. It has since been restored yet again, this time by Richard Hammond's British workshop, The Smallest Cog.

The Triumph has been refinished in the original shade of Magenta and still sports several chrome accents, including on the bumpers, rocker panels, wing mirrors, window frames, and door handles. May notes that some of the chrome parts, like the door handles, are slightly pitted and could do with replacement.

Similarly, the interior shows some signs of aging. That shouldn't surprise anyone, as this car is more than 50 years old and has been driven through the deserts of Zimbabwe. If anything, this just adds extra character. That being said, some minor modifications have been made. For example, the Triumph has the speedometer from a Mark I model and includes a modern stereo with Bluetooth connectivity. The 14-inch wheels are now wrapped in Hankook Optimo tires.

In terms of power, the car uses a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V8. May describes this engine as having a reputation for being one of the most unreliable engines in the world. Such kind words probably won't fill prospective buyers with much confidence, but he does clarify that the engine used in his Stag MKII has been perfect. This engine is coupled to a four-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels.